Metal spring cover



oct. 31, 1933. F H, SCHLESSER o 1,932,990

METAL SPRING COVER Filed Jan. 5, 1933 :Y////////////////////`;; ammi; :sV//////////////////=: :emma :syl/l//l//l/l//l/l/,

\nvenTor. Frederiol' Hchhasser by faQ/w3 M1M TTys.

iateniecl Get. 31, 1933 emrah STATES PATENT oFFicE Ajax Spring Stabilizer Company, Brookline, Mass., a corporation of Illinois Application January e, 193s. Vserial No. 649,752

. '4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in metal spring covers for laminated springs and the principal object .of the invention is to provide va metal spring cover formed of a plurality oi units which be economically constructed ,and readily apthe springs of an automobile after the automobile has been assembled. More particularly the invention relates to improvements Vin spring covers comprising a plurality of sheet metal units fabricated to conform to corresponding .sections of the spring in which each unit is formed .from a sheet of metal bent to Aprovide a central panel slightly Wider than the spring to cover one of the horizontal faces thereof and side panels slightly Wider than the thickness of the spring having inwardly extending flanges to overlie the other horizontal face of the spring in the same plane with locking plates overlying the flanges and provided with releasable locking means for connecting said plates to said flanges remote from the edges thereof.

A further object .of the invention is to provide a novel form of clip cover adapted to be .used in combination with the spring cover units labove described.

These and otherobjects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawing and Will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the inventionl isA illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

o which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one end `of van inverted spring having a Vcover embodyingthe invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the spring cover and spring illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the spring cover units and illustrating locking tabs extending outwardly from the ilanges of the spring cover.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a preferred form a .bit as illustrated in Fig. .3..

(Cl. 26T-.37)

of locking platehaving a plurality 0I pairs of slots adapted selectively to engage the tabs .o'f the construction. illustrated in Fig. 13..

Fig, 5 is a side .elevation of approximately onehalf of the .semi-elliptical spring having .spring cover units' embodying the present invention .applied thereto and also including'clip covers ernbodying the present invention .held in place by adjacent spring cover units.

Fig. 6 is a .detailed perspective view of assembled clip cover .units embodying .the present invention.

Fig. '7 is a detailed longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the relative positions oi .the assembled Yclip Ycover and spring cover units .and also showing the fabric VWrapping for the spring Within the cover.

The spring cover .comprises a plurality of fabricated'from sheet metal .to .conform .to corresponding sections of the .spring having a flat` central panelV l, side panels .2 and `3 bent at right angles thereto `and tapered .longitudinally .to conform to the thickness of the spring and of a width .slightly greater than the thickness .of the spring with ilanges 4 and 5 `bent at right .angles 1tothe respective side portions 2 .and .3 `and adapted to `overlie `the other horizontal face of the spring. The flanges 4 and 5 when applied to .the spring lie the same -.plane with .the free edges thereof in close juxtaposition and .preferably .in abutment, although the .edges may be more or `less' separated-as the flanges Ad esirably lie .along the under surface `of the spring. Preferably adda* cent units are so arranged that the .smaller .end offeach unit, except .the -end units, .telescopically engages Within .the larger .end `of an adjacent unit..

Each unit is locked upon the spring by a plate which `overlies the flanges and is releasably 1secured- .to said flanges remote from `the edges thereof. In the preferred construction, `tabs 4fi and 'l .are punched from the respective anges preferably centrally .of 4their vlength and bent .up

Separate members having suitable heads, however, Vmay :be .inserted through the ilanges to extend outwardly .therefrom to provide locking members.

A suitable locking plate of any desired .width having a pair .of slots adapted .to receive 'the tabs 1 6 and '7 .or .other locking .members may be ,em-

ployed to .complete the lock, the .tabs .being inserted through the slots in the plate and thereafter turned down upon the plate in such a rn'an-V ner as to secure the plate rmly in locking posi tion.

Inasmuch as springs may differ slightly in width or tabs may be differently spaced apart on flanges of different spring covers, the locking plate desirably is provided with a plurality of pairs of slots, as illustrated in Fig. 4, which illustrates a plate 8 having three pairs of slots 9-9, 10-10, arranged in parallelism and a pair of slots 11-11 arranged at right angles thereto. Any one of these pairs of slots may be utilized to receive the locking tabs 6 and 7 or a slot of one of the pairs 9-9 may be employed with one of the slots of the pair 10-10, thus providing a wide range of adjustability. When the tabs have been inserted through the selected pair of slots, they may be turned downwardly by merely pressing, hammering or otherwise deforming the tabs.

When it is desired to remove the spring cover, these tabs may be bent into vertical position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the locking plate removed, and the spring cover readily expanded and removed from the spring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suitable clip cover for use in connection with the spring cover unit above described. Such a clip cover is illustrated in detail in Fig. 6 and in assembled position in Figs. 5 and '7. The clip cover illustrated in Fig. 6 preferably comprises three independent sections each having a transverse channel to embrace and cover the corresponding portion of the clip with flanges extending from the channel-shaped portion longitudinally of the spring. As illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, thevclip cover comprises a sheet metal section having a central channel portion 12 with flanges 13 and 14 corresponding to the width of the spring extending from said channel portion 12 longitudinally of the spring. Two side members of identical construction will be employed each having a central channel portion 15 with'flanges 16 and 17 extending longitudinally of the spring and of a width corresponding to the width of the spring or to the length ofthe legs of the spring clip.

In assembling the clip cover on the spring, the top and side members may be applied to the clip and the adjacent spring cover units then placed upon the spring telescopically to enclose the flanges 16 and 1'7 of the clip cover, respectively. Desirably the spring is enwrapped with a lubricant-containing material such as an oil or greasesoaked canvas 18 before the application of the spring cover units to the spring. If desired an additional sheet metal section, similar Y to the section having a channel portion 12 with anges 13 and 14, may be applied to the under surface of the spring to enclose the bar which connects the lower ends of the legs of the clip, as illustrated in Fig. '1.

In order to protect the flanges of the spring cover units which desirably extend along the under face of the spring from frictional wear by engagement of the ends of the progressively shorter laminations of the spring, a ilat plate 19 desirably is interposed between the flanges 4 and 5 and the spring or the wrapping which encases the spring. The ends 20 of the plate 19 desirably are bent over the ends of the spring cover units which enclose the base and end of the spring and serve both to complete the closure of the spacebetween the edges of the flanges and to prevent longitudinal displacement of the spring units.

It will be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention herein described is of an illustrative character and various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A spring cover for laminated springs comprisinga plurality of sheet metal units fabricated to conform to corresponding sections of the spring and having a central panel slightly wider than the spring, to cover one of the horizontal faces thereof, side panels slightly wider than the thickness of the spring having inwardly extending iianges to overlie the other horizontal face of the spring with the free edges of said flanges in the same plane, locking plates overlying said flanges and releasable means for connecting said locking plates to said flanges remote from the edges thereof.

2. A spring cover for laminated springs comprising a plurality of sheet metal units fabricated to conform to corresponding sections of the spring and having a central panel slightly wider than the spring, to cover one of the horizontal faces thereof, side panels slightly wider than the thickness of the spring having inwardly extending flanges to overlie the other horizontal 105 face of the spring with the free edges of said flanges in the same plane, metallic locking members extending outwardly from each flange remote from the edge thereof and locking plates overlying said flanges having means releasably to 110 engage said locking members.

3. A spring cover for laminated springs cornprising a plurality of sheet metal u nits fabricated to conform to corresponding sections of the spring and having a central panel slightly Wider 115 than the spring, to cover one of the horizontal faces thereof, side panels slightly wider than the thickness of the spring having inwardly extending flanges to overlie the other horizontal face of the spring with the free edges of said 120 flanges in the same plane, metallic tabs punched from the respective flanges and extending outwardly therefrom at a distance from the edges thereof, locking plates having a pair of slots to receive the respective tabs adapted when the tabs are inserted in said slots and bent down to lock said units upon the spring.

4. A spring cover for laminated springs comprising a plurality of sheet metal units fabricated to conform to corresponding sections of 130 the spring and having a central panel slightly wider than the spring, to cover one of the horizontal faces thereof, side panels slightly wider than the thickness of the spring having inwardly extending flanges to overlie the other horizontal face of the spring .viththe free edges of said flanges in the same plane, metallic tabs punched from the respective flanges and extending outwardly therefrom at a distance from the edges thereof, locking plates having a plurality of pairs of differently spaced slots selectively adapted to receive the tabs of the respective sections and when the tabs are inserted in the proper pair of slots and bent down to lock the units upon the spring.

FREDERICK H. SCHLESSER. 

